Rotating apparatus fan subjecting textile materials to a shrinkage-reducing treatment

ABSTRACT

The residual shrinkage of textile materials of limited length is reduced to about + OR - 2 percent and less by tumbling the textile materials in a drumlike apparatus rotating at a predetermined speed in a closed chamber. Natural fibers become crimped during tumbling by alternately humidifying and drying the textiles; or synthetic fibers become thermofixed by exposing the textiles to hot air at a temperature above 110* C. during tumbling. The direction of rotation of the apparatus may be repeatedly reversed during crimping or thermofixing. Steam or water is supplied to the textile material for humidifying the same in finely divided form by means of spray nozzles.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Hans Fritz Arendt Bietigheim, Wurttemberg; Berthold M g Kkiusachsenheim, both of, Germany [2|] Appl. No. 749,479 [22] Filed Aug. 1,1968 [45] Patented Aug. 10.1971 [73] Assignee l-Ians F. Arendt Bleichimel, Bietigheim Wurttemberg Germany A [32] Priority Aug. 5, 1967 [33] Germany [31] P16 35 141.0

[54] ROTATING APPARATUS FAN SUBJECTING TEXTILE MATERIALS TO A SHRINKAGE- REDUCING TREATMENT 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figs.

52 us. Cl 34/60,.

34/133, 68/5, 8/1493 [5 1] Int. Cl. F261: 11/00 [50] Field of Search 34/ 12, 60, 45, 21, 133; 26/19; 68/5.0, 5.3; 8/1493 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,200,191 5/ i940 Schuster 34/21 Primary Examiner- Frederick L. Matteson Assistant Examiner-Robert A. Dua

Alrorneys- Erich M. Radde, Charles A. McClure, Gerard J.

Weiser and Alfred Stapler ABSTRACT; The residual shrinkage of textile materials of limited length is reduced to about :2 percent and less by tumbling the textile materials in a drumlike apparatus rotating at a predetermined speed in a closed chamber. Natural fibers become crimped during tumbling by alternately humidifying and drying the textiles; or synthetic fibers become thermofixed by exposing the textiles to hot air at a temperature above 110 C. during tumbling. The direction of rotation of the apparatus may be repeatedly reversed during crimping or thermofixing. Steam or water is supplied to the textile material for humidifying the same in finely divided form by means of spray nozzles.

Patented Aug. 10, 1971 4 Sheets-Shani l INVENTORS'.

HANS F. ARE/V07 4w BERT/{OLD NA aw BY MA WWW AGEA r Patented Aug. 10, 1971 4 Shoots-Sheet 3 INVENTORS: HAN F AREA/D7 W BERT/1010 NA 6'//V im/w MW AGE/VT Patented Aug. 10, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTORSI HANS F-ARENDT M D BERT/7 010 MAG/N mm mm AG T - to synthetic fiber material. Appretur der Textilien" published by Springer 1960,'pages BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating textile materials and more particularly to rotating. finishing apparatus for crimpingand shrinking such textile materials by means of such a rotating apparatus. 2. Description of the Prior Art To minimize residual shrinkage of textile materials in use,

such materials, for instance, woven or knitted fabrics,-'-have heretofore been subjected to a finishing process which has usually been designated as crimping, crabbing, steaming, decatizing, shrinking, Sanforizing, Monforizing when applied to to natural fiber material and as thermofixing when applied See, for instance, Bernat 170-182 and 195 to 202. All these known processes are carried out in continuous operation which can be performed economically only if the length of the textile material subjected to such processes is relatively large or practically endless.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION paratus for shrinking textile materials which permits treatment of relatively short pieces of such materials,or even of finished treatment so as to produce a textile material of a predetermined residual shrinkagevalue. Said residual shrinkage value a is the amount of shrinkage of the material expressed in per cent which the material may still undergo after the treatment. Said value must be low enough so as not disadvantageouslyaffeet the 'use of the treated textile material.

Textile material consisting of natural fibers is subjected according to the present invention in a rotating drumlike apparatus provided in a closed chamber alternately to humidifying and drying procedures whereby humidifying and drying are effected for predeterminedperiods of time and whereby predetermined degrees of humidification are achieved.

For thermofixing textile material of synthetic fibers the material is exposed in such a rotating apparatus to the action of dry air of a temperature above 1 10 C.,.preferab1y to a temperature between about 140 C. and 250 C. The thermofixing temperature and/or the durationof treatment are, of course,

adjusted so tat the synthetic fiber isnot detrimentally affected.

Care must be taken that the textile material is filled loosely into the rotating apparatus so that the dry air as well as the humidity are able to act thereon uniformly and aretevenly'distributed therethroughShrinking of textile material consisting of natural fibers isachieved by a combinationof themechanical effect of the rotating apparatusand 'theswellingeffect. caused by humidifying the material in a properly adjusted manner. Such-proper adjustment of the mechanical effect of the rotating apparatus can be achieved by adjustment of .the'

speed of rotationand by causing the apparatus to rotatealternately in both directions. The proper temperature is produced by an appropriate radiator andzthe amount of water or, respectively, steam introduced into theapparatus is adjusted by means of a value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The attached drawings illustrated the apparatus used for carrying out the present invention without, however, being limited thereto. In said drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as used for shrinking or thermofixing textile materials;

' FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of such an apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a right side elevation thereof. 7

Like index numerals in said drawings indicate like parts of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 a perforated drum 2 is arranged in a boxlike chamber defined'by housing 16. As illustrated in FIG. 2 to 4 this drum 2 inchamber l is mounted so that it rotates on rollers 3. Door 24 in housing 16 serves. as means for introducing textile into drum 2. Drive 4 serves as drive means to regulate speed and direction of rotation of drum 2 which direction of rotation is reversible. As seen in FIGS. 3 an 4 housing 16 is provided with air inlet- 17 in the vicinity of top 18. Housing 16 also includes sidewalls l9 and end walls 20 as well as bottom 21 with'air outlet 22 provided in the vicinity thereof as shown in FIG. 4. Drum 2 is positioned in chamber 1 between air inlet 17 and air outlet 22. Radiator 5 serves as air-heating means and as shown inFIG. 3 is positioned in housing 16 between air inlet 17 and drum 2. The radiator supplies chamber 1 with hot air which is conducted by suction through drum 2 by means of fan 6 which removes and discharges the hot air from chamber I via air outlet 22. The spray nozzles 7 and 8 for steam or water are arranged in such a manner that steam as well as intake air are supplied to the drum 2 from the top of chamber 1. As best seen in FIG. 3 passages 23 serve as bypass means in housing 16 for bypassing air from air inlet 17 around the air- :heating means which is radiator 5 and to drum 2. As shown in- FIGS. 3 and 4 fan 6 mounted in chamber 1 below drum 2 draws air from airin1et 17 to drum 2 via either or both radiator 5 and/or passages-23 and from drum 2 to air outlet 22. As shown in FIG. 3, selector means comprise flap valves 9 positioned movably relative air passages 23 and radiator 5 to throttle flow of one relative the other. The flap va1ves'9 for the intake air are preferably arranged at the side or above the spray nozzles 7 and 8.

Under the nozzles a gutter 10 is so arranged that the steam is blown against and reflected from it, the condensed water collectingin the'g'utter and being removed therefrom as shown in FIG. 2. Or the conduit with the nozzles 7 is turned by more than 90 so that the nozzles 7 are pointed upwardly at an an- .gle. 'No gutter is placed under the nozzles 8. Said nozzles are not necessary for supplying steam, but they may be used to supply spray water or additives, such as softening or fulling agents. Brushes 12 are arranged between the outer walls of the apparatus and drum .2 to prevent steam and air from flowing around-the drum. The apparatus is provided with an air and steamoutlet 13,.a timer, and athermostat 15.

The-spray nozzles spray the water or steam in the direction of those parts of drum2 whichcontain the textile material to .be'treated, preferabl yforabout 3 to 5 minutes, to achieve a water content -in .the material of more than 25 percent by weight.

Thefollowingexamplesserveto illustrate the present inventionwithout, however, limitingthe same thereto.

Examplel m. of a woven cottonfabric of medium quality is loosely .placediinto drum 2 after dyeing, removing the water, and iteaseling or brushing. "Eh material is then dried to a predeterminedmoisturecontent.TSuperheated steam of about 120 C.

and fresh airis passed'into drum '2 through nozzles 7 nd 8 for about 5 minutes. Thereafterythe cotton fabric is dried for a period o'f'time predetermined by a test run of the apparatus. A

residual shrinkage value -.of :2 percent is achieved by repeatedly spraying and drying the cotton fabric while repeatedly reversing the direction of rotation of drum 2.

Optimum spraying and drying conditions vary for each type of textile material. They are readily determined by placing test pieces of the material into the drum and exposing them to various conditions of humidification, drying, and speed and reversal of direction of rotation of the drum. Thereby, optimum finishing conditions are found for each type of textile material. The determined empirical values can then be applied to similar materials.

When treating woven or knitted woolen goods, their specific sensitivity must be taken into consideration. Crimping of woolen fabrics always causes formation of more or less marked felt. This felt is practically not noticeable when crimping the goods only slightly. Such treated woolen textile fabrics of the Jersey-type are used for garments. To shrink a woolen fabric of a length of about 70 m. by about 12 percent the dry fabric is sprayed with hot water in the apparatus for about 5 minutes and is then dried. When repeating such spraying and drying, shrinking by about 15 percent is achieved. This causes felting to become visible at the surface of the fabric. On further repeating spraying and drying, a felt is obtained as final product.

Drying is accomplished in about 8 to 10 minutes at temperatures ranging between 80 C. and 160 C. depending on the material to be treated. The normal residual moisture content is abut 10 percent; but it is equally possible to remove moisture completely and allow the material to collect the necessary moisture in storage. The percentage of achieved shrinking varies widely depending on the material treated and the desired effect and quality. It is for cotton up to 34 percent, for wool 12 to 15 percent.

Example 2 70 m. of a textile material of synthetic fibers is thermofixed by placing it loosely into the drum enclosed by the chamber. The drum is rotated by means of rollers driven by a drive at a drum speed of 32 to 37 r.p.m., and the direction of rotation is reversed every 1% to 1 minute. This is done to prevent the material in the drum from entanglement. The radiator heats the air caused to enter the chamber by the fan, to a temperature above 145 C. This temperature is maintained for about 8 minutes and it is then reduced to room temperature within about 2 minutes.

The material so treated showed a residual shrinkage value of :2 percent. It was noted that removal of the material from the drum at a temperature more than about 10 C. higher than room temperature caused permanent rumpling.

The process of thermofixing is essentially a crimpin process without humidification. The same apparatus is used for both treatments. The intake air is heated by the radiator, but it is also possible to first heat the air by means of superheated steam or other mans to about 1 40 C. and then to increase the temperature of the heated air by electrical heating to the required degree. The heated air flows into and through the drum and the textile fabric contained therein in the direction of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 4.

Of course, many changes and variations in the construction of various parts of the apparatus and in the treatment of the textile material may be made by those skilled in the art in accordance with the principles set forth herein and in the claim annexed hereto.

We Claim:

7 1. An apparatus for reducing shrinkage of textile materials of limited length and comprising:

a housing which encloses a boxlike chamber having a top with an air inlet provided in the housing in' the vicinity of the drum; bypass means provided in said housing for bypassing air from said air inlet around sad air-heating means and to said drum;

a fan mounted in said chamber below said drum for drawing air from said air inlet to said drum, via either or both said air-heating means and said bypass means, and to sad air outlet;

selector means, comprising at least one flap valve operatively arranged relative the air-heating means and the bypass means, to throttle flow of the one relative the other for delivery to the drum;

means for introducing said textile materials into said drum;

drive means connected to the drum for rotating it about said axis and for reversing its sense of rotation;

an elongated-nozzle arranged in said housing above said drum and communicating with a source of steam, the nozzle having a bottom with a plurality of openings positioned along its length for discharging steam downward therefrom a trough positioned below said nozzle for direct impingement of the steam thereinto, means for withdrawing condensate from said trough.

P0405) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,597,851 Dated August 10, 1971 Inventor) Hans Fritz Arendt and. Berthold Magin It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 20: cancel the first "to". Column 1, line 38: Before "thereof" insert and advantageous features Column 1, line 61: Change "tat" to that Column 2, line 22: Change "an" to and Column 3, line 27: Change "abut" to about Column 4, line 4: Change "mans to means Column 4, line 19: After "walls" insert a comma Column 4, line 28: Change "sad" to said Column 4, line 32: Change "sad" to said Column 4, line 45: After "therefrom" insert a comma Signed and sealed this 11 th day of April 1972.

SEA L Attest:

EDWARD l-TJLETGH'LB, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

